Happy New Year, A Winter Wonderland, a WIP, and a finish

A Happy New year to all the lovely visitors to my blog, may 2010 bring forth, health and happiness and peace to everyone.

The above picture is of a gift from a lovely stitching friend DJ who lives in the USA. She was working so hard before Christmas putting in all the hours God made where she works, and yet she still found time to make and send me this gorgeous little ornament. Isn't it cute!!

For days the weather forecasters have been saying we were going to have snow.....normally living by the sea we very rarely have snow, but this year is an exception. The rest of the UK have been suffering really badly with snow and freezing conditions. This morning was our turn, and we awoke to a smattering at 5.45am with regular falls later on, so much so that the schools have closed as teachers couldn't get there, and with my husband being told by his boss that he would rather him stay at home with pay than drive and have an accident. Of course neither of them complained. My son was eager to go out into the cold as he has never seen much snow at all. We have more snow forecast for later on today, and freezing temperatures tonight, so it may be everyone home again tomorrow.

After having a cup of coffee we decided that we would all go out in it, so after clearing the path by the drive, and having a snowball fight; we went for a walk. I thought that I would share with you some of the pics that I took whilst out.

DH & Son

DH not looking too happy at having his pic taken

Sub tropical plant in Garden

Teasels in the snow

Wild Dog Rose hips in the snow

Snow Angel

The next pic is of a small stitchery quilt that I did for a present for my DS and his family as part of their Christmas present to hang in their hall of their new house.

The next pic is of a stitchery which I did for myself which was intended to be on the wall for Christmas, but with everything that was happening before Christmas I never got to make it into a small quilt pic. I will finish it into a quilt pic, as soon as everyone has gone back to work, and school.

The stitchery was supposed to be in redwork only,but I thought it would look much prettier in a few colours. I worked the piece in DMC thread with Krienik metallic filament and Spirelli metallic thread.

The pattern is a freebie, and can be found at http://thepaintedquilt.blogspot.com , thank you to Kaaren for this lovely little Stitchery.

My last pic is of the WIP that I am doing, I have been stitching this for the past two evenings whilst watching the TV. I thought that I would do it in white on the Dark Coffee Belfast 32ct that DH bought for me, along with some new gold needles, that he put in my stocking for Christmas. It seems to be more apt colours for this time of the year.

NB :I think that most of my pics I have posted this time will enlarge if you click on them.....if you have found previously that they wouldn't I have now found out that I was reducing the size of them too small, and therefore they wouldn't open up to a large size. Sorry for this previous boo boo.
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Info for those US genealogists out there!!!!

If you have European ancestors who migrated from Europe to the US from the middle to late 1800's until 1914. I have recently discovered that if they left Europe from the Port of Hamburg, they will not have sailed directly to the USA, and will have arrived in Hull, England first before travelling by train or carriage the next day to Liverpool,England and then going on to the USA.

In Hull Records Office they do hold lists of passengers, occupations, dates etc of all the passengers who arrived there to be migrating to the USA.

They would have stayed in a lodgings house on or very near the quayside before they continued their passage to the USA.

Free Small Lace Sampler Pattern.... and a gift from Australia

I would like to share with you a picture of what my lovely friend Margaret in Australia sent me. I had said that I liked the Koala bookmark that she had made and had posted a pic of on her blog...... but I didn't expect to receive the two beautiful bookmarks that she sent me. I love the Koala, but aren't the Gum Tree Blossoms gorgeous. Australia must look wonderful when those trees are out in bloom.

I have been busy this last week trying out my upgraded pattern programme, and would like to share with you the little Small Lace Sampler that I have made.

I have yet to find out how to encapsulate a pattern in a PDF, but no doubt I will find out in the near future. So please bear with me for putting the seperate parts of the pattern  for you instead of just clicking on a button.

Just click each picture to bring up a full size pic.

Please send me a pic of your finished pieces, as I would love to show them on my blog. I have done purple, but you can choose whatever colours of thread, or fabric you like.

I can't wait to see all the different stitcheries.

This pattern is for personal use only, and not for commercial purposes. It may not be sold, or be published on another blog, or,website

I hope that you enjoy this little pattern.

Three Finished Stitcheries, and a wonderful gift

I wasn't looking forward to this week as I was going to have my kitchen turned upside down in order to have a new floor laid. It was going to be necessary to have all the appliances, and the table and chairs in my lounge, as we don't have a garage attached to our property where I could store everything while the floor layers did their work. The Garage is round the road, and everything would not be insured there. Anyway, they have had to delay work until next week...... thus delaying the turmoil.

However on Monday morning, after advertising a velvet button backed rocking chair on Freecycle to giveaway, and a lady replying by phone and asking me after having a chat with her after me saying the chair was no good for Stitching in. She said to me, "but would it be good for Spinning in", and me saying yes; she turned around and said would you like a spinning wheel.

I have always wanted a Spinning Wheel since I had visited a County Show some years ago, but could never afford to buy one, as something always came up where I had to for go having one.

About an hour and a half after ringing me she brought me this beautiful Ashford Spinning Wheel. Apparently she belongs to  the Spinning Guild in Exeter, Devon, and it was surplus to her needs. I was so amazed at her generosity, I was speachless nearly......(not the normal me)lol! And.... she even brought me a fleece to start spinning with.

When I last had a go at the spinning I was a natural the lady had said....... but now I think she was sooooo wrong. I need to have loads more practice before I can spin any yarn suitable for knitting. I will get there though!!!

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My latest stitchery finishes

The  Peaceful Bird is a freebie courtesy of Betty at Primitive Betty's.

I thought it was beautiful, and will look lovely in my quilt when it is finished.

I just love the Attitude Fairy..... my husband says it is so me!!

I just love doing these stitcheries, as they are so quick to do, I can do a couple in an evening.

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A Frugal Dessert Recipe. Yummy!!!!!

serves 3

I had a few fruits that were left from last week,

One white peach with a beautiful red centre,

One Necterine,

One Large Black Plum,

One small cooking apple.

I took the skins off all the fruit, cored and stoned, and sliced into a dish.

sprinkled with 2 desertspoons of muscavado sugar.

Topping

Take two crusts of the end of a pre-packed loaf

(normally these get left in our house)

Blitz the crusts in a processor,

add 1.5oz butter, and two tablespoons of muscavado sugar,and

two generous tablespoons of dessicated coconut.

Blitz again for a couple of seconds, and then spoon over the fruit.

Bake for about 20-30 mins until topping truns a nice golden brown, and the fruit starts to bubble through, depending on your oven, mine took 20 mins in a convector oven, at 180 deg C, or Gas 5., 350 deg f.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!   We did.

Blackwork Finish & A Game and Craft Country Show

Thank you to all of my followers who left a comment for me last time. All comments are much appreciated, and it is always nice to hear what you all think about the things that I blog about.

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The picture above is a small blackwork piece which I worked on 22ct Hardanger fabric. The pattern was a freebie by M.Brouwer, who I must thank for the lovely little pattern. It was a delight to stitch, and it will be made into a needle case. I will also make a scissors fob to match with part of the design. ( Please click highlighted word to find pattern). You may also find another seasonal pattern on the link at the moment.

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Day out at The Game and Country Show.

The weather was beautiful at the weekend, and for a long time my Husband has wanted to have a go at Falconry. Recently I was emailed that a Game and Country show was to be held fairly nearby, at Powderham Castle in Devon. The castle is home to the Earl of Devonshire. So I decided on reading that there was to be many falconry displays, and that the public would be able to fly the birds of prey, that we would go. Unfortunately after being there most of the day, there wasn't the chance for him to have a go at falconry, but we had the most wonderful time looking at all the crafts, and seeing the birds fly.

I had a Harrier Hawk land on my head whilst trying to take a photo of it in flight, and I was amazed that even with its long talons it didn't stick them into my head. To the contrary it was so gentle sat there upon my head like I had been crowned with a bird hat, and it sat there for about 3 minutes. My husband was so thrilled to see it up so close to him. Me not so, as I have a fear of birds up close.

This is a pic of the very bird.

Harrier Hawk

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More birds which we saw

Barn Owl

Merlin

Golden Eagle

Falcon

Eagle Owl

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For Some who like Knitting

There was a lady at the show who was displaying knitted rugs to cover picnic chairs, and the for the floor, all knitted on what looked like broom handles. Enormous needles about three to four feet long. The yarn that she was using was a double knitting wool multiplied up 15 times. When she was demonstrating she had 15 cones of wool on the floor at one time. I asked her how long it took to knit a row, and she said she could do 2 rows in 2 hours.

Here are some pics of what the rugs looked like.

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Other Crafts that we saw

There were local blacksmiths who had taken mobile forges so that they could do a demonstration of their craft, the items that they made were beautiful. I have shown some of their work below.

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Woodcarving & Hippy Hut

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Items made of Driftwood

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Some Cute Dogs

Jack Russell Pup

Lurcher Shaking Hands

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Our Stuart Slaying a Dinosaur whilst having his first go at Archery.

He got the Dino right in the top of its head.

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I did buy a bit of Stash......well it had to be done!!

Dear Hubby has a new mobile phone that has a screen that is always on display so it needs a case. Also I thought I would make some little slippers for our little grandson who is a baby of 5 months. So as I was walking past this small marquee I saw that they were selling the softest of fine glove leather, it was a regal blue..... I just couldn't resist.

The lady who served me told me that they have a website, but they don't list the fine leather as a product, but if you contact them they will always oblige in sending you some, if so wished. They also sell beads, and other general craft & leather craft supplies, & leather accessories.

They can be found at http://www.theidentitystore.co.uk/

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And On The Way Home we saw.....

The most wonderful Fallow Deer Stags.

I thought you would like to see this beautiful building. Its called the Minadab Restaurant just between Dawlish and Teignmouth,Devon, I used to live near to it, but have never managed yet to go to dinner there. I really must do sometime, just to see if it is as pretty inside.

Just going down in to Teignmouth looking at the mist over the water, where the sea meets the River Teign